


How To See Eye To Eye

by CaptainParisStarr



Series: Ryuji and Akechi Make A Porno [3]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Acts of violence, Cuddly Drunk Ryuji, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Referenced suicide, underaged drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:54:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25740898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainParisStarr/pseuds/CaptainParisStarr
Summary: As Ryuji realizes that his fleeing was the result of a misunderstanding, more about Akechi's past comes to light and everything hinges on a single decision that could bring them together as lovers, or tear them apart forever.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Sakamoto Ryuji
Series: Ryuji and Akechi Make A Porno [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1865650
Comments: 3
Kudos: 18





	How To See Eye To Eye

"Akechi says that you suddenly blocked his number?"

The comment was so out of the blue that Ryuji choked on the bite of the beef bowl he had just taken. "What?"

"He called me last night, saying that he's gotten closer to you over the past few weeks, but then you suddenly stopped returning his calls and blocked him. Did something happen?" Akira took a sip of his coffee, studying Ryuji over the rim.

"Nothing happened, not like that. We didn't fight or anything; actually things were going great. But, I dunno, it was like we'd gotten too close and I realized that he'd fooled me into forgetting that he's a murderer. That he's planning to murder you. Not that he knows that I know his plan, of course, I ain't that dumb." Ryuji sighed. "I realized I was falling for him and it terrified me. I knew things had to end so I cut contact and that's it."

Akira sighed; he had been afraid that this was the case, and he knew that he had to tell Ryuji the full truth.

"Actually… he's not."

"Not what?" Ryuji frowned.

"Not planning to murder me. He came to me last week; before you filmed that second little movie with him…"

Ryuji choked for a second time; he'd been certain that no one else knew about that!

"I know because he told me; he also confessed to being in love with you. He said that he wanted out, and told me everything; who he's working for, what this man is making him do, the whole nine yards. He was sobbing the entire time, and shaking with fear, terrified that just talking to me would cost him his life. I can't tell you the details; not yet; but he's now in on it. He agreed to play along, and is only asking for two things in return; our help in taking down the man pulling his strings, and a real chance to be with you." Ryuji started to speak, and Akira held up his hand to cut him off; "I never promised him anything; he knows full well that you might turn him down flat. All he wanted was a chance to ask you out."

"And you believed him?"

"Yes, I did. I can tell when he's lying, and I know he lied when he says he hates me; trust me when I say that he was telling the truth that night."

"Then why…?"

"Why didn't I tell you?" Akira studied Ryuji's eyes. "Because you can't lie to save your life, and I thought telling you would compromise the entire plan. Also he told me not to tell anyone; not even Morgana knew that Akechi had switched sides for real; but circumstances have changed. Go see him; fix this misunderstanding, and give him that chance."

"I can't; I still don't trust him. But I'll give him his chance; if our plan works with him on board, I'll believe in him." Ryuji finished eating, and stood up. "Thanks for the food." He returned his tray and left, needing to run more desperately than he had ever needed anything in his entire life.

* * *

  
  
  


Akechi couldn't sleep; he'd been up late with homework, and had an early TV shoot the next morning, but all he could do was toss and turn.

_ "He ran because he doesn't trust you and he still believes that you want to murder me." _

Kurusu's words echoed in his head, and a strangled sob escaped Akechi. Madness had been a close companion since he was little; anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder… he had even at one point been tested for autism, though that had come back negative, as had all the others, save one; depression was the only diagnosis that had stuck.

His guardians had never understood how to handle a boy like him; a boy broken by rejection, and his mothers suicide.

"No one knows that I was the one who found her… the water in the bathtub had been so red, and her skin so white…" He shuddered at the memory; the shock had been so severe that he had gone catatonic for weeks, and when he reconnected with the outside world once more, he had no longer been the bright, cheerful boy his Mother had kissed and told that she loved him more than life itself.

He had become cold and aloof, though he had learned to mimic good cheer and a pleasant attitude; he'd had to, or else the psychiatric examinations would have never ended.

Every last doctor had assured the staff at the orphanage, and later his many sets of foster parents, that he would grow out of the damage, and that he was too young to retain the memories of his mother's death. Except, he didn't, and he wasn't; he had been eight, and eight is more than old enough for long term memory to form.

Murder, however, had never been in his nature; even now, he knew that he could not pull the trigger outside of the Metaverse, where he could not distance himself from his actions as blood spilled crimson rivers and skin turned to ivory…

He slammed his face into the pillow knowing that thought belonged not to him, but to Loki, the monstrous Persona poisoning his already sick mind. "Go away."

He felt the presence retreat deeper into his subconscious, and a gentler presence emerged; that of Robin Hood, and as his mind was calmed at last, he fell into a fitful slumber.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


The hand holding the gun began to shake; was he really in the Metaverse? Had this only been a cognitive version of Kurusu? He could not tell; it all looked so real; too real. He could smell the boys blood…

Forcing his hands to steady, he removed the silencer, and slid it into his pocket, then placed the gun into Kurusu's hand, before leaving the room.

Had the plan worked? Or had he just murdered a friend? He did not know, and his entire body trembled as he left the building, though he voice was miraculously calm as he reported to Shido his success.

Then he walked away, heading for the only place he could find any peace; the jazz club in Kichijoji. But no, he had brought Kurusu there; if he was dead then it was tainted forever. So was Penguin Sniper, and the cafe down the street.

Instead, he took the train to Shinjuku, and found an open bathhouse, and when an older man offered to take him out for a meal, he accepted, knowing full well that the night would end in a love hotel.

He was not disappointed, especially when he woke alone. Good; his lovers always looked old and ugly in the morning light.

All of them except Sakamoto… Ryuji. With him, he knew it would be different, though he also knew that if he had fucked up and killed Kurusu for real, he would never find out how beautiful Ryuji would look waking up beside him.

He also knew that the wait to find out if the ploy had worked or not would be the longest hours of his life.

  
  
  


* * *

When the announcement that the leader of the Phantom Thieves had committed suicide while in custody aired, Akechi's heart had almost stopped; so convinced that the plan had failed, he had almost missed the text telling him to come to Leblanc at a certain time later that day.

"You!" There were gasps and cries as he had been ushered upstairs.

"Did it work? Did I kill the cognition?"

He instantly knew that everyone, except Ryuji, had been in the dark to his knowing the plan, and they all shot him with looks of outrage and disgust.

"If you knew then why didn't you stop this?!"

"Because I would have died had I refused. You don't know him! I had no choice but to comply; the Metaverse plan was the only chance to save both his life and my own! All I asked for in return was your help in changing his heart next!"

"If Akira is alive, then we will discuss it as a team." Ryuji stepped between Akechi and the rest of the group. "But if he is dead, you'll be thrown to the wolves."

"Agreed." He held his breath, each second lasting a year, until at last Sojiro told them to come downstairs, and before his eyes Akira, alive and whole, was led back into the cafe. 

"You made it!" Akechi threw himself at Kurusu.

"Ouch! Gently, the guards roughed me up something fierce." His smile was the best thing Akechi had seen in years, and as he stepped back, he caught Ryuji's eye, and the blond had nodded once, causing Akechi's heart to soar.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Ryuji rang the bell, his arms laden with gifts.

"Hello…? Ryuji?" Akechi's eyes widened in pleased surprise.

"I was a real jerk to you; I didn't know that you were planning to help us in the end." He held out a bouquet of white orchids, red roses, and pink carnations. "I don't know much about flowers, but Akira said that orchids are for saying "I'm sorry" in a genuinely regretful way, roses are for love, and carnations are for admiration, and saying that I'll never forget you."

"Ryuji." He accepted the bouquet, deeply touched, and something deep in his broken heart began to heal at last.

"Also, here, Akira said you love coffee, and jazz." He handed over the live recording done in house at the jazz club in Kichijoji, and a bag of expensive coffee beans bearing Leblanc's logo.

Finally, he held up a plush bear holding a box of chocolates. "I don't know shit about making up with a guy, but I always hear about this working for girls so…" He broke off, embarrassed.

"Ryuji, you didn't need to do all this, I've already forgiven you." But he accepted the bear nonetheless; the first plush toy he had received since losing the one his mom had gotten him when he was still an infant.

"Oh, please come in." Akechi realized they were still standing in his doorway and moved aside. "You are aware that red roses are for romantic love?" He added as Ryuji got comfy on his couch. 

"Yes, I know."

Akechi looked over at the boy as he got out a vase; he was often getting flowers delivered so he had several vases lying around. "Is this a confession?"

"Yeah, I guess it is. That night… it just hit me that I'm in love with you and I still thought you were plotting to murder my best friend and I just panicked. It hurt so much to go, but it would have been unbearable to stay. When he let me in on the truth, I didn't want to believe it, but I agreed to give you one chance; and that chance was to prove yourself by following our plan."

"I passed then?"

"You did."

"Good, because I love you too." Akechi's lips were soft against Ryuji's.

"No cameras tonight; I need this to be real, and private."

"Of course." Akechi picked up his phone, selecting a food app. "What are you in the mood for?"

"Huh?"

"To eat." Akechi clarified with a soft laugh.

"Steak."

"Okay." He selected a local steakhouse without batting an eye.

"No wait, that's expensive ain't it? Pizzas fine."

"Money is no issue, Ryuji. If you want steak, we'll eat steak." 

"You sure?"

"Do you know why I film pornographic films of myself? So that I can be independent without my… sponsors assistance. I'm a killer, a psycho, and a fraud. Sooner or later that will all come out, and I will be back in a mental hospital, maybe for life this time. My reputation is already teetering on the edge of the abyss; why should I care if it gets tarnished a little first?" He shook his head. "Besides, I'm an exhibitionist; if it were legal to walk around naked, I would. I told you already; I love being on camera, any camera, doing anything. I've made a small fortune with my porn, and I'm the one who arranged for you to collect the hidden camera footage; although our night together was the only time I was not alone on the camera. I've mostly done webcam stunts, and the company that handles the footage is a cover; it's really just me and a single editor; he's the one who gave you the anime badge, so I get most of the money made by selling the videos to private distributors." Akechi had completed the food order as he spoke, and now set his phone aside.

"Who is this sponsor?"

"I can't tell you his name; not until tomorrow when we meet up to decide if the Phantom Thieves will help me or not, but I will tell you my connection with him; a connection that no longer means anything to me; he is my father."

"Wait, your father?"

"Not that he knows; you see he abandoned my mother upon learning she was pregnant, with no parting gift other than cash for an abortion. As you can see, she chose not to abort, though perhaps it would have been better if she had. I was a cursed child; she had to sell her body to survive; perhaps that is why I am so comfortable making porn?"

"Can I meet her?"

"Alas, but no; she died when I was eight. Slit her wrists in the bathtub of the apartment we were renting. I was not allowed to be in the apartment while she was with her clients, but more than three hours had passed since the time she had said she would come and get me, so I went home anyway… and found her." A single tear slid unnoticed down Akechi's cheek.

"Is that why you were in a mental hospital?"

"Yes. When a neighbor found me the next day, I was catatonic with shock, so I was shipped off, first to the hospital, then, once I could speak again, to an orphanage." He picked up the bear. "I have nothing from the time my mother was alive; I was put into the ambulance with nothing but the clothes I had been wearing. This is the first plush toy I have been given since my mother's death."

"So you like it?"

"Yes." He smiled almost shyly at Ryuji. "Well, enough about my past; please, select a movie." He stood as the food delivery man rang the bell.

Ryuji spied a movie he had wanted to see for ages but had not had the chance to watch yet, and popped it into Akechi's mostly unused gaming console, seeing no other disk players in the area.

Akechi returned with the food, not commenting on the selection as he laid the food out and disappeared into the kitchen, returning with a bottle of wine. "One of the producers I work with at the TV station gave me this, likely forgetting that I am underage, and I was saving it for the right moment."

"That alcohol?"

"Yes."

Ryuji swallowed hard. "Is there a problem, Ryuji?"

"My dad… he would beat me and my mom every time he got drunk; it only ended with him leaving us. I dunno if me drinking alcohol is a good idea."

"You are not your father, and I am not mine. I only have one bottle, and I'll watch over you. If you get violent, I promise to restrain you, and tell you once you've sobered up again."

"Okay." Ryuji relaxed. "Guess I have to find out sometime, right? I can't avoid social drinking if I get an office job."

Akechi uncorked the wine, pouring them each a glass before turning on the movie.

They ate in silence, Ryuji enjoying the steak more than the wine, which tasted nasty to him, but he drank it anyway, knowing he needed this experiment.

Before he knew it, the bottle was empty, and his head felt light as he cuddled into Akechi, giggling softly.

"Well, that answers that." He put his arms around his suddenly super cuddly boyfriend.

"Wanna fuck?" Ryuji looked up at him as the ending credits rolled.

"Right now?"

"Yeah! I'm horny so, wanna?" Ryuji giggled again.

"Sure." Akechi was in a good mood as he opened the chocolates, popped one in his mouth, then fed the next to Ryuji.

Ryuji moaned as he allowed the chocolate to melt on his tongue, unzipping his pants and pulling his cock out. "I'm so hard!"

"Alright, come here." Akechi lay back against the couch and held his arms open, laughing as he was roughly undressed. "There is lube in the drawer of the coffee table."

"You invite lotsa men over to fuck?"

"I used to do that, but not anymore. From now on, it will only be you."

Ryuji stopped his scramble for the lube just long enough to give him a tender kiss, then he hiked up Akechi's legs and roughly fingered him to slick him up.

Akechi screamed as Ryuji entered him, riding him hard and fast; it was completely unlike the almost shy way he had fucked for the camera. But this was better, because it was real.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Sunlight filtered in through the thin curtains, and Ryuji groaned as he slowly woke up.

"Morning." 

"Huh? Oh, morning, Akechi. How's your ass?" He had vague memories of plowing the detective for hours before carrying him to bed and passing out.

"Wonderfully sore. I'm not going to be able to walk normally for hours, and I know I'll love every moment of it." He smiled softly.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No, actually you get giggly, cuddly, and horny when you drink. You exposed yourself to me, and initiated the sex, which you are a natural at." He pulled Ryuji down for a kiss, not complaining when the kiss turned into another round of sex because his prediction had been true; Ryuji was gorgeous first thing in the morning.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  


"Ryuji!" Akechi ran towards him as he stumbled out of the dark. "You're alive!"

"Yeah, the blast threw me clear, but I was out for a bit." He groaned and held the back of his head.

"Is it over? Shido's heart was changed right?" He looked into his boyfriend's warm brown eyes.

"Yeah, we got him; there's no way his heart won't change now."

Akechi buried his face into Ryuji's chest as he sobbed with joy.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


"Are you certain about this?" Ryuji adjusted the BDSM gear he was wearing as he looked over at Akechi, who was adjusting the camera. Lately, their videos were getting more and more outrageous; and nothing at all like the sweet and caring; even if it was somewhat rough; lovemaking they had in private.

"Oh, chickening out?" Akechi winked at him.

"No! Of course not!"

"Then come fuck me good; our audience awaits."

**Author's Note:**

> Please visit my profile for more information on how to support me as a writer.


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